In-form Haryana Steelers head south to battle rejuvenated Telugu Titans

Super Sunday in Chennai kicks off with a north vs. south battle as Haryana Steelers take on Telugu Titans at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. After a rough start to respective campaigns, both teams have enjoyed a better run of results over their past four outings and will be aiming to continue their streak of positive performances.

Match 47: Haryana Steelers vs. Telugu Titans

Head-to-head:

Haryana Steelers

Form Guide:

Played: 7

Won: 4

Tied: 0

Lost: 3

Win rate: 57.14%

Best Raider: Vikash Kandola

Best Defender: Sunil

Over the past fortnight, Haryana Steelers have been among the, if not the, best teams in VIVO Pro Kabaddi and have registered three wins in a row that have helped them weave their way into the playoff spots. The catalyst to their run has been star raider Vikash Kandola. Since his return, Haryana Steelers have picked up 15 points out of a possible 20 and the raider himself has been in terrific touch, averaging a Super 10 in his past four appearances. The defence, too, has fared better over the past three matches, with skipper Dharmaraj Cheralathan and veterans Ravi Kumar and Vikas Kale finding some form. Right Corner Sunil, however, has been the pick of the defenders with 18 tackle points in five matches and will look to limit raider Suraj Desai’s in their upcoming encounter. With the team in excellent form, the return of Prashanth Kumar Rai couldn’t have come at a better time, as the veteran has the luxury to operate as the secondary raider behind Kandola till he finds his groove. With everything falling in place at the right time, coach Rakesh Kumar and his Haryana Steelers team will fancy their chances against Telugu Titans on Sunday.

Telugu Titans

Form Guide:

Played: 8

Won: 1

Tied: 2

Lost: 5

Win rate: 12.5%

Best Raider: Siddharth Desai

Best Defender: Vishal Bhardwaj

After a poor home leg, Telugu Titans have had a better run of results over their past four matches and are playing at a level much higher and closer to their potential then they previously displayed. They have had two ties and a win in their past four matches and their only defeat came at the hands of reigning champions Bengaluru Bulls, who were inspired to a victory by Pawan Kumar Sehrawat and Mahender Singh. In that same fixture, ‘Baahubali’ Siddharth Desai scored his first Super 10 of the season and Left Corner Vishal Bhardwaj scored six tackle points at a strike rate of 100%. The pair have been the star performers for their team in offence and defence, respectively, and coach Gholamreza Mazandarani will be hoping for another big performance from his two superstars on Sunday. Skipper Abozar Mohajermighani hasn’t had the campaign he would’ve hoped for, but the Iranian is still among the best Right Corner defenders in VIVO Pro Kabaddi and one good outing could be all that it takes for him to find his form again. However, if Telugu Titans are to beat Haryana Steelers, the captain as well as the rest of Telugu Titans’ roster will have to up their game and play at that high level that they have showcased in the past.